Refrigerating apparatus



Dec. 14, 194-3. I J c, CHAMBERS 2,336,671

REFRIGERAT ING APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 29, 1935 0 INVENTORI j WZ MMM Patented Dec. 14, 1943 REFRIGERATING- APPARATUS Jewel .0. Chambers, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Original application November 29, 1933, Serial No. 700,171. Divided and this application July 9, 1941, Serial No. 401.677

3 Claims. (01. 62-115) This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus, and is directed to the conditioning of air in a building or the like in which the conditioning load variesin several parts of the building at certain periods of time. Thus in a building where the sun shines on opposite sides thereof,

the conditioning load is greater on, one side at one time of the day and is greater on the other side of the building at another time of the day. It is among the objects of this invention to provide an air conditioning apparatus which may shift its conditioning capacity to meet these changing conditions.

This is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 700,171, filed November 29, 1933, now Patent No. 2,274,774.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing: I

The single figure is a diagrammatic represen tation of one embodiment of my invention.

To illustrate my invention, a building, generally designated as .lli, may have means ll and/or l2 for modifying the condition of the air at various parts or rooms in and lb in the building. While Iprefer to use my invention with a plurality of modifiers, certain aspects of my invention may be applied where only one 2|a in contact with the outlet of the evaporatorl3. This type of valve is constructed to maintain the evaporator 13 substantially in a liquid refrigerant flooded condition.

The second evaporator I is connected to a second refrigerant liquefying unit 22.. similar to the first refrigerant liquefying unit l1, and which preferably comprises a compressor 23, condenser modifier is used. Thus where only one such modifier is used, conditions may arise wherein the modifier need not operate during a certain portion of the day, but should operate during other parts of the day. It is within the purview of my invention that automatic means respon-' sive to the sun's rays may be provided thus automatically to control the single modifier. Where two or more air modifiers are used, it is within the purview of this invention to provide means for automatically changing the operation of the modifiers to meet changes in the conditioning load on the apparatus throughout the building.

To accomplish the foregoing, the modifier Il may be in the'form of an evaporator l3 through which air is blown by'the electrically driven blower It. The second air modifier l2 maybe f in the form of a second evaporator it through jtion with the evaporator IS, the compressor l8 being driven by an electric motor 20. The evaporator I3 may be provided with any suitable means of properly maintaining the refrigerant therein, and to this end an automatic expansion valve 2| is provided, having a thermostatic bulb 24, refrigerant receiver 25 in closed refrigerant fiow circuit with the evaporator 15, a'suitable refrigerant flow valve, in the form .of an automatic expansion valve 26 having thermostatic bulb 2611, being provided, the action of valve 28 being similar to the action ofvalve 2t.

In the modification shown in the' figure, a

pipe. 3|, having branches 32 and'33 which are j connected respectively with the liquid refrigerant pipes 34 and 35 which connect respectively the receiver 25 with the evaporator l5 and the receiver 20 with the evaporator l3. Likewise the evaporated refrigerant line 38, whichleads to the compressor 28 is connected by branches 3] and 38 respectively with the evaporated refrig-' erant lines 39 and 40 which connect respectively evaporator IS with the compressor, and evaporator IS, with compressor l8.

Suitable valves, preferably in the form of solenoid valves 4|, 42,43 and are provided for onnecting the booster 21 with either of the modifiers II and i2. If the connection is'to be automatic, automatic means, responsive to the shifting conditions of the building, are provided for properly actuating these valves. To this end,

for the modifier II and evaporator l2 and a second sun ray-sensitive instrument 46 is provided l for the modifier l2 and evaporator It. These ray-sensitive instruments are constructed and of the modifiers in response to the action of the sun's rays on the instrument. This is ac-' eomplished by causing these instruments to connect the booster refrigerant liquefying unit 21 with either or both the evaporators l3 and it thus to embrace the conditioning power of these evaporators by enhancing the refrigerant liquefying capacities connected with the evaporators.

The connection of the booster 21 by means of a first sun ray-sensitive instrument I is provided T arranged to change the operation of at least one the instruments 45 and 46 is accomplished by suitable electrical relays. Thus when suns rays become sufiiciently eifective on the instrument 4!, the relay 41 is energized. This causes the relay 48 to be energized through the action of the current flowing through the transformer 49, which in turn is energized by the line current from source 50. When the more powerful relay 4' is closed, current flows through the line 52 and 53 to the solenoid valves 44 and 42 and back to the main line 54, thus opening valves 44 and 42 and thus connecting the booster 21 in refrigerant flow relationship with the evaporator l3. It is also desirable simultaneously to cause the refrigerant liquefying unit 21 to start operating if the same is not already operating. This is accomplished by providing a relay II which is energized by the relay 48, which relay 5i causes current to fiow through the line 54 to the motor 55 which drives the compressor 28, thus causing the unit 21 to start operating. Also, ifthe compressors in these units have bodies of lubricant which may enter into flow relationship with the is energized by the flow of current through the lines I! and 14, the switch of the relay 15 is closed and permits current to fiow through the line 83 to the motor 55 which drives the compressor 28.

The modifier I2 is operated in accordance with conditions in the enclosure in which the modifier is located. Thus the condition-sensitive instrument 80, similar to instrument 80, permits the how ,of current through the line Ii when conditions require it, thus actuating the blower l6 and the motor 82 which drives the compressor 23.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the 21 with the corresponding evaporator. This acrefrigerant, it is desirable to provide a lubricant flow connection between the compressors which connection is opened when the booster is con nected with either of the other refrigerant liquefying units. Thus a lubricant line 56 is provided with the solenoid valve 51 which is energized through the line 58 when the relay 48 is closed,

and thus the oil in the crankcase of the compressors l5 and 28 attain-a common level at the opening of the valve 51. If, therefore, there is any tendency for the oil flowing through the refrigerating system to accumulate in either of the compressors l8 or 28, the connection 58 over comes this tendency and prevents the accumulation of oil in one compressor to the detriment of the other.

Preferably the air. modifier II is automatically controlled in accordance with conditions in the enclosure Illa in which it is located. 'Thus the condition sensitive instrument 60, which may be r a dry bulb thermostat-a. wet bulb thermostat,

a hygrostat or any other suitable automatic-instrument, permits the fiow of electric current through the line 5| when conditions require it, and this fiow causes the blower ii to operate and simultaneously causes the motor 20 to operate, thus controlling the operation of the unit II.

when the conditioning load shifts to the other side of the building, the ray-sensitive instrument 4. is adapted to connect the booster 21 with the modifier i2 in substantially the same manner that the ray-sensitive instrument connects the booster with the modifier i l. Thus when the sun's rays become effective on the instrument 44, the relay 10 is energized thus. closing its switch and energizing the relay 1! through the action of transformer I2. when the switch ofrelay H is closed, current flows through the lines I3 and 14 to the solenoid valves 4| and 43, opening them and thus connecting the unit 21 with the evaporator I5. Simultaneously the valve 15 When the valve 1| 1. opened, the oil line 18 permits the oil level in the crankcases of compressors 25 and 23 to equalize.

Means are provided for causing the unit 21 to operate when it is connected with the modifier 12. This is accomplished because whenthe relay tion naturally changes'or modifies the action of the refrigerant liquefying unit which is permanently connected to the evaporator, by boosting its refrigerant liquefying power; If the sun's rays become effective on both of the instruments 45 and 45, then the booster 21 is connected to both modifiers II and [2 by the opening of all of the valves 4|, 42, 43 and 44.

While the form of embodimcnt of the'invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all comingwithin the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1, In an air conditioning apparatus, a first evaporator, a first refrigerant liquefying unit connected to said evaporator and including a first compressor having a lubricant sump, a second evaporator, a second refrigerant liquefying umt connected to said second evaporator and including a second compressor having a lubricant sump, a booster refrigerant liquefying unit including a third compressor having a lubricant sump, means for automatically connecting said booster with either of said evaporators in accordance withenvironmental conditions, and means for equalizing the lubricant level in said compressors.

' 2. In an air conditioning system, a first re- I frigerant iquefylng unit including a compressor adapted to-c r .."n a supply of lubricant, a second refrigerant liqdeiying unit including a compressor adapted to contain a supply of lubricant, an evaporator connected to said liquefying units, and a conduit connecting the lubricant supply in the one compressor to the lubricant supply in the other compressor.

3. In an air conditioning system, a. first refrigerant liquefying unit including a condenser and a compressor adapted to contain a supply 

